Opposites attract, maybe
by vegeta99
Summary: When an exchange student who might be from Canada shows up at Makoto's dojo asking to be taken in as a pupil it's certainly strange and though he isn't suited for Rindo-kan maybe he'd be more suited as something more for Makoto than a student
1. Chapter 1

She didn't know him, well she knew of him but had never so much as sat next to him. He was an exchange student, she wasn't sure from where but it might have been from Canada or maybe America, he was maybe 5'10", pale, a head of wild curly black hair, and still wearing his school uniform. Makoto was trying to work through her head when she had so much as talked to this guy but her mind was blank, yet here he was head bowed, 8:00 at night, and asking to be a part of her dojo. "Please teach me the ways of Rindo-kan, Mako-Uh Mi-miss Makoto." he stammered he was clearly nervous and seemed that he might have been sweating. "Miss!? Listen here, Rindo-kan is brutal and I don't need any wishy-washy weekend thrill seekers who are going to give up the minute they break a sweat." He jumped "S-sorry it's just that Ibuki said that maybe I should come by, but I mean if you're not accepting students that's fine!" He seemed to say it as fast as possible and he turned to leave."Wait,Ibuki sent you?" Makoto ears perked at the mention of her friend. Ibuki may enjoy pranking Makoto at times but she wouldn't send some average scruff to Makoto's dojo, even she respected its importance to her. "Alright you may come in, but if I don't think you're up to snuff I don't want you to step foot in this dojo again." she said as she walked back in "O-okay then." he said as he warily stepped inside afer Makoto making sure to take off his shoes.  
"Alright I hope you're ready." Makoto said as she got into the proper stance. "Al-alright" he said putting his fists in front of him. Makoto brought her fist back and charged going in for the punch but to her surprise it didn't connect, rather he had merely moved to the left and pushed her arm away. Despite this he made no attempt to capitalize on his chance he merely shuffled backwards. Though taken aback Makoto wasn't willing to let him make a fool of her she rushed at his left side she brought her right arm down to attack, he grabbed her arm and pulled her forward hoping she would be caught off guard however Makoto was expecting this and brought her right leg in for a sweep. Makoto's attack caught him off gaurd and made him fall forward however he managed to roll to the right, away from Makoto, and quickly got to his feet but Makoto dashed forward and punched him in the chest. Pain flared,she really could hit hard, but he managed to grab her and toss her to his side he hopped backwards now much more wary of her punch. Makoto jumped to her feet and leapt towards him and swung her leg forward he blocked only to be grabbed by his collar Makoto hit him with a massive headbutt both of them stumbled back,dazed. Makoto realized she hit him a bit harder than intended and frankly had hurt herself more than him. Before she could so much as look back up she felt the wind get knocked out of her.

Makoto opened her eyes to see him on top of her, she felt herself blush and before he could get off of her she kicked him off herself. "Alright alright you're okay but you seemed very reluctant to actually throw a punch and you'll never master Rindo-kan with that attitude." Makoto said, he showed the slightest sign of a blush "Well I don't quite believe in fighting and most of my training is in dodging and blocking blows so when I realized this was a...ya'know real fight I kind of just panicked and tackled you for...for...I don't know what reason." he stammered he sounded embarassed and his eyes darted around the room as if trying to avoid looking at Makoto in general. "Well I'm not so sure you're fit for Rindo-kan it's a far more confrontational form of combat than you seem comfortable with." she said. Their eyes briefly met and his blush noticably grew "Well th-thanks anyway I-uhhh I guess I'll be going now goodbye." he grabbed his shoes and turned to the door when he heard her ask "Hey what's your name anyway?" he turned back toward her "My name is Levi, it was nice sparring with you and I guess I'll see you tomorrow." his blush deepened his face almost completely red before he turned and rushed out leaving the door open. Makoto didn't quite know what to think he acted very strangely but he seemed nice enough definately not fit for Rindo-kan but what she really wanted to know was why Ibuki thought he would be a good Rindo-kan student. Makoto noticed something shiny on the ground, a wrist-watch that must have been dropped by Levi. Picking it up she noticed LB engraved on the back. A stiff breeze came through the opened door making Makoto realize part of her gi had slipped over her shoulder revealing quite a bit of bra. Makoto's face immediately turned red and began to wonder if that was the reason why he had left so suddenly. 


	2. Misunderstanding

Despite it being close to summer the clouds looked as if ready to burst with rain and Levi couldn't help but think it looked a bit threatening. Still he continued walking hoping that he could make it to school without it raining on him and his uniform as he was without an umbrella. Though he tried not to he couldn't help but think back to last night at Makoto's dojo, should he have told her about her bra showing instead of just rushing out? "She probably thinks I'm some kind of a pervert." he said to himself, but worst of all he had left his watch there and would have to ask her for it. He didn't like talking to other people, preferring to keep to himself, but the fact he left on such an awkward note made it a few thousand times worse.

'How am I going to even show my face to her? I hope she hasn't told anyone, the rumors that could spread! That I'm some kind of socially awkward pervert? Then again rumors get more and more distorted as they get passed around, for all I know by the time I get to homeroom people will think I get my jollies beating girls.' he thought to himself in dismay. As he made it to the bus stop he decided he would prepare himself for whatever rumors are spread and that he would just have to keep to himself and not listen their vicious words and insults "They'll lose interest when they see I don't care, I'm sure" he told himself, still he wasn't so sure.

As Makoto took her usual path to the school she tried to sort out what had happened the previous night. 'Why would Ibuki send that strange guy to the dojo?' no matter how she looked at it she could think of no reason and resigned to the fact she'd just have to ask her once she got to the school. 'And why didn't he tell me my bra was showing, of all the perverted strange things...geez I hope he hasn't told anyone...Oh but I bet he has, I know the type, some wierd guy who was probably trying to get in my pants,failed, and is now telling all his friends about how he "Conquered the karate chick" I mean give me a break and now I have to give him this stupid watch, and now that I think about it I bet he made up the Ibuki story just to get inside, why of all the slimeball tactics...' Makoto was getting progressively more angry as she began to dramatize the events of what happenned in her mind until Levi was practically horned with cloven feet. By the time she had made it to school it was raining hard and as Makoto rushed inside she spotted Levi and stormed over to him.

As Levi walked through the hall he could swear he caught more than a few fellow students staring at him, Makoto must have already told other people. 'Man, I should never have listened to that Ibuki, or whatever her name was, now I'm in serious trou-' Levi didn't get a chance to finish that thought as he saw a very angry Makoto walking towards him. "L-listen Makoto I don't know what you told everyone else but I can explain." Levi frantically tried to explain himself as he walked backwards. "I don't need you to 'explain' anything to me I don't know what you've told your weird friends but I'm not some...some..some-" Makoto realized she had no evidence to base her accusations on and Levi seemed shocked at her accusation. "Ma-Makoto I'm sorry, but I'm not sure what you mean." Levi tried to smile but didn't know why.

Makoto realised that a few students were staring "How about we talk about this in private maybe?" Levi suggested, not willing to have her conversation public knowledge Makoto led him to the stairwell. "I-I would never do something like that Makoto." Levi explained in a rushed whisper "But in all honesty I expected you to do something similair." he admitted with his head hung. "What do you mean something similair, that was extremely embarrasing I wouldn't brag about anything that happened last night." Makoto exclaimed with a look of shock. The fact he would even suggest that of her made Makoto near furious, who did he think she was?

"No, no I thought you would tell people I was some kind of pervert." Levi explained "Well I guess we both jumped to conclusions, but still please don't tell anyone. I don't need that story following me around." Makoto asked with a faint smile "Oh yeah don't worry I don't really have anyone to tell it to anyways." Levi assured her "Well I guess I'll see you around then." Makoto said as she walked away "Oh wait, do you have my watch? I think I l left it at your dojo." Levi asked a little embarassed at his own forgetfulness "Oh yeah it's right here." Makoto confirmed as she took his watch out of her bag, she stared at it for a second before handing it to him "Thanks, it was a gift." Levi explained "Goodbye." he said as he walked down the hall. Makoto noticed his bag had a button on it with "RED CYCLONE" emblazoned in yellow on a red background 'A wrestling fan huh' Makoto thought to herself.

As she turned around to walk away she found herself face to face with her friend Ibuki "So, judging by that conversation it didn't go well last night huh." Ibuki said non-chalantly "So you really did tell him to go to my dojo." Makoto affirmed "May I ask why?" "Isn't it obvious I was trying to set you two up, you'd make a really cute couple. Wimpy guy tough girl, shake up the mold a bit y'know." Ibuki explained as if this were a normal thing to do. "And why would you do that?" Makoto asked sternly "Well I hate to be blunt but people think you're some kind of big scary lesbian and the fact we hang out all the time, well you put two and two together." Ibuki explained as if the answer were obvious

"So you try to hook me up with some random guy who you tell to show up at my dojo?" Makoto asked incredulously "Well he wasn't random I knew that for you to take interest he'd have to at least be able to defend himself and I saw him fight off a mugger, plus he's got a pretty cute face, so I told him to go to your dojo." Ibuki explained matter-of-factly "Fight off a mugger he didn't even throw a punch when we fought, I mean he tossed me away from him and kinda paniced and tackled me but he didn't even throw a punch!" Makoto explained in disbeleif "Ooh, maybe he's chivalrous, a real gentleman y'know do you think he's from England?" Ibuki asked not noticing Makoto's disbeleiving tone "Or maybe he couldn't think of what to do when your gi slipped and paniced like you said." Ibuki continued "Wait wait, my gi didn't slip until after he tackled me and why are you so invested in this already? Nothing happened and nothing will happen, and now that I think about it were you listening in on our conversation?" Makoto asked having just realised that Ibuki had clearly been spying on her

"Well...yeah kind of, I was going to ask you what had happened but I saw you storming towards him and the story seemed too juicy to just wait to hear about later so I followed you." Ibuki said with a shrug "Can you not do that from now on?, Geez that's really something I shouldn't have to ask. Well It's almost time for first period so I'll see you later Ibuki." "Later." Ibuki said as she disappeared in a cloud of smoke "Why does she always have to do that?" Makoto asked out loud. As she walked down the hall to her first period class Makoto couldn't help but think to herself 'He kind of does have a cute face, doesn't he.' 


	3. A Burst in Popularity

After Levi and Makoto had their stairwell talk they kept their distance from each other. Niether disliked the other but they didn't want to risk any more awkwardness. "I can't believe you won't even talk to him, I've never seen him with anyone so I bet he's reeeeeal lonely." Ibuki expressed her disbelief to Makoto as they walked home together. In the two weeks since "the talk" Ibuki would not stop trying to push Makoto in Levi's direction. "As I've said before I'm not going to be forced into a relationship just because you think I'm keeping all the guys from you."

Makoto felt Ibuki was beng more than a bit unreasonable 'Why does she care if I get a boyfriend anyway?' luckily Makoto had accepted long ago she may never understand Ibuki. "Well y'know midterms are coming up pretty soon you could at least ask him to tutor you." Ibuki told Makoto "He consistently places in the top 20, and didn't you get the worst score last time?" Ibuki prodded "I didn't get worst score!" Makoto argued. "It was in the bottom 50 though." Ibuki pointed out to Makoto's chagrin.

"Fine, I guess it wouldn't hurt to have a tutor." Makoto begrudgingly agreed. "But you better not use your ninja tricks to spy on us." "Who me?" Ibuki pretended to be surprised "I'm shocked by your baseless accusations." she continued. "I'm serious Ibuki, I hate it when you do that." "Fine fine I'll leave you two alone, it's not like you won't get together anyway." Ibuki teased as she turned down her street. "Sayin' we'll get together, Ibuki is full of it." Makoto mumbled to herself as she went along on her own."

Levi was sitting on the couch in his host parents living room watching the news, regular japanese programming did little for him. The live action shows didn't rab his interests and most of the anime he watched came on later; for a while he would spend hours watching just for the commercials but once you knew the language the commercials lost their wacky charm. As he snacked on his pocky and watched a news report on growing delinquency or something he heard the opening guitar riff of Stand Proud began, his phone was ringing. "Hello" Levi answered "Hi, this is Makoto...From school." Makoto felt she needed to remind him of who she was, but she felt it unlikely he had forgotten about her.

"Oh, uh. Hi Makoto hu-how did you get this number?" Levi asked, he briefly wondered if he was important enough to "track down" like this but he found it unlikely. "Ibuki gave it to me, I'm calling to ask if you could tutor me for the midterms." "Oh, uh...Sure I mean I don't have anything else going on. When do you wanna start?" Harrison replied 'Did I answer too quickly? I don't want to seem over eager like some...Like some...Over eager creep.' "Uh, well tomorrow after school is fine I guess, uh let's go to my dojo since we both know where that is." Makoto suggested, was it inappropriate to take him to he dojo? Then again he had already been.

"Y-yeah sure sure you just wanna go right after school or wait or what?" "Right after school is fine." Makoto replied "Well goodbye then, I guess." Levi said, he wasn't sure if he should continue the conversation but decided it would be best to end it sooner rather than later. "oh yeah, uh sure, goodbye." Makoto felt she had been rushed off the phone but didn't have the time to find an excuse to stay on the phone with him before he hung up. Levi felt he handled the situation fairly well; he had always felt nervous on the phone with someone he didn't know very well, but he thought he did very well. Makoto meanwhile decided that in order to avoid the barrage of questions Ibuki would surely throw at her she would have to make the first move 'Hey Ibuki I just talked with Levi and he says hell help me strting tommorrow after school'

'And...?' Ibuki asked 'And what? nothing happenedf :(' Makoto replied 'Oh :( Well u win sum u lose sum' 'Y are you saying stuff like that I always knew you were a pervert!' It went on like that for a while until they went to bed. As Levi opened his lunch bag the day after he saw Makoto and Ibuki step into his classroom with their bento boxes in tow. "Hiya Levi, why're you eating on your own?" Ibuki, the social butterfly she is, started the conversation. "Uhm, I guess I just am. I don't really know anyone here." Levi answered "But you've been coming here almost 4 months now." Ibuki prodded as she took a seat besides Levi with Makoto. "Y-yeah I know, I-I guess I'm just not very social." "Hey, you're still tutoring me after school right?" Makoto asked eager to change the subject.

"Yeah definately, though I should probably ask what subject you want me to go over." Levi said taking a bite of his kit-kat "W-well let's take the safe bet and-and look at everything." Makoto answered opening her bento box, it was filled with mostly meat but Levi saw a few carrots inside as well. "Well that's fine with me...Oh, I've been wondering something but I haven't been able to ask anyone." Levi said putting his sandwich down to give the two his full attention. "And what would that be?" Ibuki asked "Who's that one really tall girl from Kenya?" Levi questioned "Oh Elena, yeah she's a transfer student like you." Makoto answered as she munched away at her carrots. "And she's very popular with the boys, she isn't dating anyone and she's never turned down someone on a date as far as I know so you might have a shot with her." Ibuki added causing Levi to nearly choke on his sandwich. "T-that's not why I was asking!" Levi exclaimed, Makoto seemed just as shocked and annoyed at Ibuki's sudden statement and tossed her chopsticks at her.

"Why're you saying stuff like that, you're going to embarrass him." Makoto scolded Ibuki, and despite his own arguments to the contrary Levi didn't mind. It had been awhile since he had enjoyed a lunch with his fellow students, and he enjoyed it immensely. Ibuki and Makoto left at 1:40 to go back to their class leaving Levi to count down the minutes until class let out. Class let out at 3:40 and Levi met up with the two in the hallway, as they started out the main entrance Ibuki shouted "Hey Elena, I need to tell you something!". Before Levi realised what Ibuki was doing Elena, a 6' 2" stunningly pretty girl, was standing before them. "Hiya Ibuki, Makoto, Levi, what's up?" Levi was momentarily shocked that Elena, whom he had never so much as spoken a word to, knew his name.

This momentary loss of his facilities perhaps explained why he didn't stop what happenned next. "Levi here was trying to work up the courage to ask you out, so I figured I'd grease the wheels." Ibuki answered with a devilish grin "Aww, Levi you're such a sweetie you should have just asked. I'm free tomorrow so just meet me at the train station at 1:00 and we'll have lunch, okay?" Elena gave a big smile that Levi felt he was unable to turn down "S-suh-sounds fine." he barely stammered out. Elena gave him a big hug before going back on her way. "What was that Ibuki, you can't just manhandle someone into a relationship!" Makoto said hoping Ibuki got the hint. "Hey don't worry about it Makoto, I never would've worked up the courage on my own and it's not like I have anything else to do." Levi assured. Ibuki stuck her tongue out at Makoto thinking to herself 'If I can't get you two together normally a love triangle will work just as well' Makoto couldn't believe Ibuki was going to the lengths she was to see her and Levi together '...Or has she given up on me and Levi and is trying to push him and Elena together'

Makoto felt confused and by the time Ibuki left down her street she decided to stop trying to make sense of the whole ordeal. After Ibuki had left the conversation entered a lull, both unwilling to start upconversation. Finally the two reached Makoto's dojo, Levi blushed in embarrassment remembering the last time he visited Makoto's dojo. It was raining then, but today the sun was shining brightly and you could really appreciate the beauty of the numerous trees surrounding it. As Levi began taking his shoes off at the entrance he noticed how the main "stage" or "arena" ,he didn't know which would be the appropriate term, was near immaculate while the rest of the dojo, living area, etc seemed very cluttered. "Wait there, I'll bring a table out here for us to use."

As Makoto was gone he noticed a shelf filled with trophies and pictures. The largest picture was of a man with short black hair and a thin scar running from the top of his cheek to the bottom of his jaw holding a giant trophy with two kids, a boy and a girl, standing at his side. One, the boy,was wearing a black gi with yellow belt and had long wild black hair. The girl was partially hiding behind the boy's leg, and had an off-white gi this one lacking a belt of any kind. "Do you like that picture?" Makoto asked startling Levi "Oh uh-umm y-yeah, it's really nice i-is this little girl you?" Levi pointed to the picture but it was clear makoto knew which one he was talking about.

"Yeah, that's my brother I'm hiding behind and that awesome looking guy is my dad." Makoto's face lit up with pride upon mentioning her father. Levi could already guess what happenned to her dad and seeing how much she liked him didn't want to bring up any bad memories; so Levi decided to ask a very different, much more subtle question. "It's hard to believe this cute little girl became so big and scary, huh?" Levi realised how insulting what he just said could be taken a moment too late and tried to take it back as quickly as possible. "I-I-I don't mean you're mean or-or-" "Haha yeah, I was really cute at that age, huh? Well we should probably start, Teach." Makoto seemed oblivious to the negative implications of "big" and "scary" so Levi decided to not burst her bubble and get on with tutoring her. Levi found it interesting to say the least that he had such a burst in popularity in only 2 days, after all he had an actual date tomorrow which as he thought about it he should really make some preperations before he forgot.


End file.
